[Footnote 35: Though we only possess a few contract-tablets of this period, the fact that the Ptolemaic Canon begins with the reign of Nabonassar (see above, p. 265, n. 1) is evidence that it marked a revival of literary activity, accompanied by a study of the chronology and possibly by a revision of the calendar.] [Footnote 36: So "Bab. Chron.," I., 16; in the Kings' List he is described as the son of Nabû-nadin-zêr.] [Footnote 37: See above, p. 267, n. 1.] [Footnote 38: Merodach-baladan claimed descent from Krba-Marduk, the king of the Eighth Dynasty who secured the throne of Babylon by his services against the Arameans (see above, p. 204). He made himself popular in Babylon by restoring to its former owners property confiscated by the Assyrians. In the Frontispiece to this volume he is portrayed making a grant of land to his governor of Babylon.] [Footnote 39: See above, p. 32 f.] [Footnote 40: According to the Ptolemaic Canon, the two years following Sargon's death formed a period of interregnum, though the Kings' List assigns the throne to Sennacherib. However this may be, we know that in 703 Marduk-zakir-shum proclaimed himself king; but he had only reigned for one month when he was murdered by Merodach-baladan.] [Footnote 41: In spite of Sennacherib's devastation of Chaldea, Merodach-baladan had assisted Mushezib-Marduk in his revolt; but he had then fled with his followers in ships to the coast of Elam, where he died. Sennacherib built ships on the Tigris and dragged them overland to the Euphrates, where his troops embarked.] [Footnote 42: An interesting description of the state of Babylon on Esarhaddon's accession is given in the recently published cylinder, inscribed in the year of his accession; cf. King, "Kouyunjik Catalogue (Supplement)," pp. xviii. f., 7 f., and "Cun. Texts in the Brit. Mus.," XXXIV., pl. 1 f.] [Footnote 43: We have recovered a lapis-lazuli cylinder-seal, engraved with a figure of "Adad of E-sagila," which he dedicated in that temple; see Fig. 65, and cf. Weissbach, "Bab. Misc.," p. 17.] [Footnote 44: Esarhaddon had plundered Memphis, but in a few months it had been recovered by Egypt and the Assyrian garrison massacred. On his final Egyptian campaign in 661, Ashur-bani-pal sacked and destroyed Thebes, and for some years afterwards Egypt continued to acknowledge Assyrian control.] [Footnote 45: The subject of Ashur-bani-pal's probable identification with Kandalanu, and the subsequent relations of Babylon to Ashur-etil-ihini, Sin-shuni-lishir, and Sin-shar-ishkun will be treated in the third volume of this history.] CHAPTER IX THE NEO-BABYLONIAN EMPIRE AND THE PERSIAN CONQUEST